South Korea stands at a precarious crossroads where economic challenges, security concerns, and shifting diplomatic alliances are converging in ways that could define its trajectory for years to come.
Opinion polls are big in Korea. You can find one to support your views, no matter what they are. Now, this is concerning in itself, and from what I’ve seen, it pays to be pretty skeptical about polls when it comes to gauging public sentiment.
On Tuesday morning, North Korea watchers in Seoul awoke to the news that President Trump made a video call from the stage at the Commander in Chief Ball, and asked U.S. service members in South Korea a question - How’s Kim Jong Un?
Event or Trend: Pro-Yoon Suk-yeol rallies in Seoul on 18-19 January saw a surge in anti-China rhetoric and conspiracy theories, particularly allegations of Chinese interference in Korea's 2020 general elections. These unverified claims were propagated widely through social media and after repetition by conservative lawmakers have entered mainstream political discourse.
By focusing on substance over form, and by leaning on informal networks of trust and mutual understanding, burgerflippers navigate the world of foreign policy and diplomacy with a mix of irreverence and skill, quietly shaping policies that matter while resisting the fecklessness of imposed authority.
In the peculiar realm of the North Korea Watcher, a curious phenomenon unfolds: a seemingly insatiable desire among watchers, commentators, and analysts to remind us, repeatedly, of their former positions in government, think tanks, and academia. It's as if proximity to power—even when that power produced failure—is a badge of honor. This ostentatious display of credentials is not just unseemly; it’s counterproductive, undermining the credibility of the very insights they purport to offer.
In the world of the North Korea Watcher, there is an abundance of variety. One particularly interesting group is the insight peddler - the consultancy services that seek to sell their wares. Of these, there are five broad groups who, just like itinerant peddlers of old, can be categorized according to the wares they’re selling - in this case, the level of analysis undertaken.
The Ugly American (1958) by William J. Lederer and Eugene Burdick is a novel, which exposed the failings of U.S. foreign policy through a series of fictionalized stories about American diplomats and their interactions abroad. Though the novel was set in the context of Southeast Asia during the Cold War, its insights into the importance of humility, cultural understanding, and the dangers of arrogance remain relevant today.
This curated list provides not just information, but a more nuanced way to interpret and understand the complex realities of the Korean Peninsula, making them essential reading for any foreign policy analyst seeking clarity in a region defined by uncertainty.
Diplomatic analysis has often been regarded as the domain of hard-nosed realists, relying on historical precedent and strategic interests to shape the world’s most consequential decisions.
